Index

1. Why you need both reports, not just one

2. The DGT report: what it covers and what it does not

3. The CARFAX report: what it covers and what it does not

4. Full comparison: DGT vs CARFAX

5. When to use each and when to use both

6. How to interpret reports to make pricing decisions

7. Alternatives to CARFAX: CarVertical and other options

8. How to integrate reports into the buying process

9. Frequently asked questions

Why you need both reports, not just one

A dealership that only checks the DGT report before each purchase is protected against registry charges and administrative issues, but may be buying cars with undeclared serious accidents or altered mileage without knowing it. One that only uses CARFAX may overlook an active embargo that will block the transfer for weeks.

The two reports cover different angles of the same vehicle. The DGT report is the official Spanish source: registry data, legal charges, administrative status. CARFAX is a private international database: accident history, mileage readings from multiple sources, vehicle use. A complete view of a vehicle's history requires both.

The combined cost of both reports for a medium-priced car is between 20 and 40 euros. In the context of an 8,000-15,000 euro deal, it is one of the investments with the best return per euro a dealership can make: a negative report detected before buying can save you thousands of euros in problems.

To see how reports fit into the complete process of avoiding errors when buying, check out the guide on the most expensive mistakes when buying cars for resale.

The DGT report: what it covers and what it does not

The report from the Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) is the official and legal source of information on any vehicle registered in Spain. It is requested through the DGT's electronic headquarters using the license plate or chassis number, costs 8.67 euros, and is available in minutes.

What it includes:

Current owner and previous owners, with dates of each change of ownership. Total number of registered owners. Date of first registration. Administrative status of the vehicle (registered, temporarily deregistered, permanently deregistered, exported). Full MOT (ITV) history with dates and mileage declared in each inspection. Active charges: embargos, reservation of title, administrative seals. Outstanding traffic fines that can block the transfer.

What it does not include:

Accident history (accidents are not recorded in DGT data). Maintenance history (workshop services are not reported to Traffic). Vehicle use (whether it was a taxi, company car, rental, or fleet). Previous imports and exports (only the Spanish registration is recorded).

The most critical information in the DGT report for the buying decision: active charges and mileage consistency between MOTs. If there is an active embargo or reservation of title, the vehicle cannot be transferred until it is cancelled. If the mileage declared in an MOT is higher than the current odometer reading, there has been odometer tampering.

To understand in detail what type of charges can appear and how to resolve them, you can consult the guide on how to know if a car has charges.

The CARFAX report: what it covers and what it does not

CARFAX is a private American company with a presence in Europe that compiles vehicle data from multiple sources: insurance companies, workshops, MOTs, importers, traffic bodies from different countries, and fleets. It is not an official source, but the breadth of its data makes it highly valuable for detecting problems not found in official registries.

What it includes:

Accident history reported to insurance companies (if the repair went through insurance). Mileage readings from multiple sources and on different dates, allowing for the detection of tampering that MOT history does not always capture. Usage history: if the vehicle was a taxi, rental car, corporate fleet, or leased. Import and export history between European countries. In some cases, maintenance history if the workshop shares data with CARFAX.

What it does not include:

Spanish registry charges (embargos, reservation of title): this is exclusive to the DGT report. Accidents repaired without going through insurance: if the owner paid for the repair out of pocket, there is no record. Data from workshops that do not share information with CARFAX, which still represents a significant portion of the total in Spain.

The most critical information in the CARFAX report for the buying decision: registered accidents and mileage readings from different sources. A recorded serious accident can reduce the market value of the vehicle by 10% to 25%, which has a direct impact on the price you can ask when reselling it.

Full comparison: DGT vs CARFAX

When to use each and when to use both

Only DGT report (essential minimum): for any purchase, regardless of price and origin. It is the minimum verification cost that should never be skipped. Without it, you have no information about charges or mileage consistency in MOTs.

Only CARFAX: makes no sense on its own. Without the DGT report, you do not know if there are charges blocking the transfer.

Both reports (recommended): for vehicles over 8,000-10,000 euros, for cars with an unclear history or uncertain origin, for imported vehicles (where CARFAX has more history data in the country of origin), and for auction cars where internal information from the seller is limited.

For low-price cars (under 5,000 euros) with a known origin: the DGT report is sufficient in most cases. The cost of CARFAX represents a larger percentage of the available margin and may not be justified for that price range.

To see how to integrate reports into the complete pre-purchase review process, check out the guide on what to check before buying a car for resale.

How to interpret reports to make pricing decisions

A negative report does not necessarily mean you should not buy the car: it means you have information to adjust the purchase price or to decide if the deal is viable.

Minor accident registered in CARFAX (cosmetic damage, body work repair with no structural impact): reduces the market price of the vehicle by 5% to 10%. You must adjust both your purchase offer and the sale price, and declare it in the sales contract to the customer.

Serious accident registered in CARFAX (airbags deployed, structural damage, declared a write-off): reduces the market price by 15% to 30% depending on severity. Carefully assess whether the local market has buyers for that vehicle profile before closing the deal.

Mileage discrepancy between MOTs or between CARFAX and MOT: sign of odometer tampering. Except under very well-justified exceptional circumstances, this discrepancy should be a reason to reject the deal. Selling a car with altered mileage, even if you do not know it, creates legal liability.

Active charge in the DGT report: the transaction cannot be closed until the charge is cancelled. You can agree with the seller that cancellation is a prerequisite for the purchase, but do not pay until a clean DGT report is in your hand. To understand how to manage cars with charges, you can consult the guide on how to lift an embargo from a car.

Alternatives to CARFAX: CarVertical and other options

CARFAX is not the only vehicle history platform. Depending on the vehicle's origin and the type of information you need, other alternatives can be just as useful.

CarVertical is the most widely used European alternative. It has similar coverage to CARFAX in European markets and in some cases better integration with Spanish data sources. The cost is comparable. For cars of European origin, it is a good alternative or complement to CARFAX.

AutoDNA is another platform with good coverage in Eastern Europe, useful for vehicles imported from Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, or the Baltic states.

DGT's own history report: the DGT report already includes the MOT history with mileage, which for cars with many inspections gives quite a complete traceability of the vehicle's use without the need for additional platforms.

For cars imported from outside Europe, CARFAX has better coverage than European alternatives, especially for vehicles coming from the United States, Canada, or Japan.

How to integrate reports into the buying process

Checking reports must be integrated as a mandatory step in the evaluation process of each vehicle, not as an optional check done "when there are doubts".

The correct time is before making any economic offer to the seller. If the report reveals problems, you have the information to adjust the offer or discard it before committing to anything. If you check it after agreeing on the price, negotiating downwards based on information that has just appeared creates friction with the seller.

Reports should also be saved in the digital file of the vehicle. In case of a subsequent claim by the buyer regarding the condition or history of the car, the report consulted before purchase is proof that you acted with diligence and with the information available at that time. To see how to organise the complete file for each vehicle, you can check the guide on mandatory documentation in each sale transaction.

More than 750 dealerships already use Dealcar to manage their daily operations

Dealcar allows you to check the DGT report directly from the file of each vehicle and link history reports to the car's file. With each verification registered in the file, the information is available to the sales team at the time of sale and for any subsequent review.

If you want to see how it works, you can schedule a free demo at dealcar.io.

Frequently asked questions

Is the DGT report sufficient for most purchases?

To detect registry charges and verify mileage consistency in MOTs, yes. To detect undeclared accidents or use as a taxi/fleet, no. The decision to add CARFAX depends on the price of the vehicle and the estimated risk of the transaction.

Does CARFAX detect all accidents?

No. Only those that went through insurance and were reported to databases CARFAX has access to. An accident repaired privately without insurance involvement is not recorded. The physical inspection of the vehicle remains necessary to detect undocumented repairs.

Do reports have legal value in case of a claim?

Yes, as proof of diligence. If you bought in good faith based on reports that showed no problems, you have a solid argument against claims from the seller or final buyer. They do not eliminate legal liability, but they do demonstrate that you acted with the available information.

How long are reports valid?

They do not have an expiry date as such, but their information is relevant to the moment they are checked. A DGT report from three months ago may not reflect a charge that was registered later. For purchases, always check the report on the same day or the day before the transaction.